This Is the Surprising Feature Home Buyers Are Prioritizing Now

Spending more time in your home makes you consider what really matters there. Maybe you’ve realized that a bigger kitchen is necessary to give you the room to try that ever-growing list of baking projects, or maybe, after a good, long KonMari session, you’ve accepted that you don’t actually need that massive closet you thought you did. We’re all recalculating and rethinking our priorities—which is likely why a recent study by OJO Labs showed that current home buyers are shifting their preferences, too.

Although it noted that a majority of would-be buyers have delayed their timelines due to the coronavirus, they’re still on the hunt, checking listings and taking virtual tours. And now they’re looking for features that they might not have necessarily sought out before social distancing became a part of their vocabulary. In particular, nearly half—43.7 percent—are searching for properties with extra bedrooms.

This could be due to the fact that many young adults have returned to their hometowns to quarantine with family, or because having a spare room to work, nap, or just get some privacy feels all the more valuable when you’re stuck inside for an extended period of time. An extra bedroom doesn’t necessarily have to just be that, however. Install a modular system that can double as a nightstand and a desk, and you’ve got a multifunctional home office. Or add a built-in closet to make it work as a walk-in wardrobe and lounge area. And you should never underestimate the versatility a fold-down Murphy bed can afford you. With a strategy in place, a little extra space can stretch farther than you might imagine.